April 15th is “Ice-Out”

Every year, a local business sponsors the ”Ice-Out” contest at Moosehead Lake.  This year’s sponsor is Currier’s Flying Service. The official ”ice-out” on Moosehead Lake is determined when the Katahdin steamship can safely travel from the East Cove to Northeast Carry. According to the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce’s records, the earliest recorded ice-out date was April 14, 1945 and the latest was May 29, 1878. This year with the early warming trend, many locals were specualting that there would be a new record, but as of April 14th, even a tie was unlikely. There were several nights that had been below freezing and ice was actually accumulating instead of melting! I took this photo on April 14th, and you can still see the ice spanning across the East Cove. But it is now official- “Ice-Out” is April 15th, 10:33 am! Ice on East Cove on April 14, 2010

12 Money Saving Packages

We know that in this economic climate, travelers are looking for packages that represent real value.

We have developed 12 packages that give you value and great choices:

Area's Acknowledged Fine Dining Spot

Shop, Stay & Dine: Need an excuse to shop? Let us give you one…Stay three nights in our historic inn, choose one evening for your “3-course dinner for two” and receive a $20.00 gift certificate to be used at one of our unique, local shops.

View Fall Foliage and Wildlife

Leaf Peeping Paradise: Stay with us for 2 nights and let us set you up with our Maine Guide who will take you to the area’s best (secret) foliage viewing spots. You will be picked up at our inn and taken on a 4 hour private trip to view fall’s most spectacular colors.

Magnificent Bull Moose

See a Moose or Go Again for Free! You want to get up close to the largest animal in the north woods? Let us arrange a moose tour with a local Maine guide. You will visit remote ponds and paddle canoes or kayaks right into the prime moose habitat. We are so sure you will see a moose that if you don’t, the guide will take you again for free.

Spring at the Greenville Inn

Spring Fling For Repeat Guests! Have you stayed with us before? Come back and stay in the months of May or June for 3 nights…and the 3rd night is on us! Enjoy our warm hospitality and award-winning inn. All rooms include breakfast, private baths, and just too many amenities to list. May and June are the best months to see MOOSE!

Relax, enjoy the view, read a good book!

Mother/Daughter “Diva”Destination: Mother’s Day isn’t the only time to bond with your mom.  The two of you can escape from all your daily responsibilities and remember some of those special mother/daughter moments from the past.

Maine 100 USCC Snowmobile Race

We enjoyed watching today’s USCC Snowmobile Race.   The race was moved to the West Cove of Moosehead Lake because of some bare spots on the trails…but this actually made it easier for us “spectators”.  We are looking forward to this being a yearly event!

Three Racers Making it a Tight Race

The Last Lap

Crossing the Finish Line

And the winner is...

It is Maple Sugar Time in Maine!

Buckets gathering sap from a Maple Tree

In New England, maple sugaring is the first sign that spring is on its way!  Maine is one of the very few places where the sap from a maple tree can be tapped and then turned into maple syrup.  This is part of what makes Maine and Maine Maple Syrup so special.

Maple sap cannot be harvested just anywhere there are maple trees.  Certain weather conditions are necessary in order for the sap to flow properly for harvesting. The required pressure level needed to get the sap flowing is created when the tree freezes and thaws. Thus, warm days and cold nights make for optimum maple sugaring conditions.

When the pressure from a maple tree thawing reaches a certain level, sap is collected. This pressure allows the sap to flow from the small holes that are made to collect the sap.

Most of the sap is still gathered the old-fashioned way, in buckets hung from trees, and boiled down to syrup over wood fires. Many of the larger producers use labor saving modern technology. They gather the sap with plastic tubing strung all the way from the trees, gravity fed to the “sugar house”.  Once the sap flows from the tree, the sap must be processed within a few hours or it will spoil, therefore syrup makers work around the clock.

From holding tanks (which may hold as much as a thousand gallons), the freshly collected sap (usually about 3% sugar) is fed continuously into the evaporator. There it is kept constantly boiling as it becomes more concentrated. When the syrup reaches a temperature of 7 degrees above the boiling point of water, the sugar-density is perfect.  Immediately, the syrup is filtered to remove particles of “sugar sand.” These, although harmless, would make the syrup cloudy. After it is clear, the finished syrup is packed in sterilized containers and sealed, ready to be enjoyed around the world.

The syrup is sometimes dark and rich, or sometimes pale, gold and delicate.  Similar to wine, much depends on the soil composition and terrain, as well as the wind and the weather.

It takes approximately 40 years for a sugar maple tree to reach tapping size.  In a good year, one large tree may produce as much as 60 gallons of sap without suffering any injury. That may seem like quite a lot, until you realize that the sap will be reduced to only about 1½ gallons of syrup!

“Maine Maple Sunday” is held every year on the fourth Sunday in March, which is March 28^th this year.

This event is when Maine maple producers open their doors to the public to demonstrate maple syrup making.  The Maine Maple Producers Association has created an interactive map of participating sugarhouses.   Enjoy this experience personally with free samples of maple syrup on ice cream, mini pancakes and muffins, maple candy, door prizes and much more at some of Maine’s best maple syrup producers.

Smell the aroma as boiling sap fills the air and is transformed into sweet Pure Maine Maple Syrup.

Contact us for participating businesses in our area

Buckets collecting the pure gold!

Maple Tree Tapped

“Exhilarating” White Water Rafting

Exhilarating White Water Rafting

“Exhilarating” White Water Rafting

Do something exhilarating with our Registered Maine Guide Service that offers full day white water rafting trips with lunch included or ½ day river kayaking trips.  The guide service is located less than one mile from our inn and they conveniently transport you to & from your destination.  The Greenville Inn’s sumptuous breakfast is included each morning.  Starting price for a 3-night package, with trip included, is $270. per person, double occupancy. All equipment provided. State-of-the-art self-bailing rafts, Type V lifejackets, paddles, helmets, all safety equipment, transportation, Registered Maine Guide in every boat, & photo slideshow of the day’s adventure (available to purchase at an additional cost). Wetsuits are available at an additional cost and may be required on some trips.  Video is available on any trip at an additional cost and must be requested in advance.

Subject to availability, double occupancy, tax & gratuities not included.

Available May 1, 2010- Oct. 11, 2010

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Skiers at Big Squaw Mountain

It is good to see Big Squaw Mountain open and people skiing!

I was able to get some shots of the course set up for the team.  The course looked fast with packed snow…

hope they had some “good times“!

Big Squaw Mtn. Race Course

Big Squaw Mountain Ski Area

The views from the slopes of the mountain (which is also referred to as Big Moose Mountain) are of Moosehead Lake and surrounding mountain ranges.   They are spectacular!   Skiing on weekends is just one of the many activities that

Moosehead Lake and Greenville have to offer.

Snowmobiling is the #1 past time up here…if you don’t have a snowmobile we have businesses that specialize in renting you everything you will need…plus a guide if you want one.

A vacation in New England would not be complete without trying your hand at Ice Fishing…how many people do you know that have actually tried it?!  We have guides that will take care of all the details…even pick you up at our doorstep.

Dog-sledding is another one of those experiences that you can only do in a northern climate…it is one of the most relaxing ways to go sightseeing!

Some of our guests have gone snow-shoeing and have had a moose sighting…moose safaris are the #1 requested excursion in the spring, summer & fall.

Let us plan a Winter Wonderland for you!

Cars, Trucks & Ice Shacks “ON” Moosehead Lake

The Ice Fishing Derby started last night and will be continuing into tomorrow.  Moosehead Lake is so vast that the fishermen are spread out over the 44 miles of the  lake.  We took a ride earlier today to see some of the fishing going on.  There were many ice shacks on various coves which can only be reached by snowmobile or driving a vehicle on the lake.  The ice on the lake can get up to 3 feet thick, so it is a common sight to see cars & trucks on the lake.  There are Ice Races on The West Cove of the lake with various vehicles being used, which should be starting soon.

These pictures are in Rockwood with Mt. Kineo in the background.  On Mt. Kineo you can see a frozen waterfall.  In the summer and fall this is a popular hiking trail.

Ice shack & vehicles on Moosehead Lake

Mt. Kineo and Ice Shacks

Snowcapped Mountains

“Today was a sunny, beautiful day”…

the weatherman on Channel 5 actually said that about Greenville, Maine!

I have to agree!  I took these pictures today…

the Big & Little Moose Mountains look serene

with a cloud just hovering over them.

The Katahdin remains steadfast surrounded by the frozen lake and mounds of snow.

Katahdin in the Snow

The view from Indian Hill is breathtaking regardless of the season.

Frozen Moosehead Lake

Snowcapped Moose Mountain Range

View from the dining room today

Greenville Inn sits Regally above the town of Greenville & Moosehead Lake

Major Snowmobile Race on March 20

Professional Snowmobile Racing Coming to Maine

March 20, 2010

There will be United States Cross Country Snowmobile Racing Association race taking place on March 20 at Moosehead Lake.  The races will start at Bullwinkle Raceway and have a 12 mile loop that will go to Little Moose Unit and back. This will give spectators numerous opportunities to see the race during the 8-10 laps required to finish the race.  The race will have a $10,000 purse which includes numerous pro, amateur classes and special races for different age groups.  The area can expect over 100 racers with hundreds of spectators.  The race will be called the “Maine 100″ for the pros and Maine “Amateur Cross Country Championship” for the amateurs.

Book rooms early since there will be a shortage!  Check Availability

Snowmobile Racing

Flying Moose

Had my camera in hand, battery charged, looking for moose to photograph…but alas…we saw many moose tracks…but no moose!

We did see some deer…but no moose today…you know they just knew I had my camera ready…set on “sports action”  and telephoto lens…they just knew…

So…the other day I had taken some pictures of the Moosehead Lake area’s

Flying Moose…you’ve heard of “when pigs fly”…well, from what I understand, it is a similar story but with a moose context.

So, at the very least, we have a moose photo for today!

The Flying Moose

In the winter, the moose will come out from the woods and eat the snow on the side of the road because it has salt from the roads being salted.  In the other seasons, they lick the salt right off the road.  We’ve been on the road and have had a moose kneeling down who refused to move.

In Greenville, Maine and the surrounding areas, moose outnumber humans 3 to 1!

We can hook you up with a guide or direct you to the best spots to find a moose.

The Flying Moose